Teen Travel Programs in Africa

The Road Less Traveled programs take teens outside to seek adventure, find challenges, make friends, build community and understand the world in a different way.

In Africa, we visit the East African nations of Tanzania and Uganda. Africa is one of the world’s most populous continents, blessed with vast resources and pristine natural ecosystems. The ongoing challenge for us is to address the needs of both humans and nature.

The Road Less Traveled faces these challenges. We serve, explore and learn. We accompany and support each other along the way.

EXPERTISE AND ATTENTION

Our teen travel programs in Africa are put together with unmatched expertise and attention to detail. Our office staff and local guides create experiences that balance excitement with safety.

We register ALL of our travelers, itineraries and contact information with the US embassy in Tanzania so that they can contact us should the need arise.

We always have a doctor on call, 24/7, and no traveler has spent a night in a hospital due to an injury

Everyone returns securely home from our international service trips, always changed for the better and often dreaming of their next adventure with The Road Less Traveled. In fact, many of our teens are returning travelers.

WHO WILL BE LEADING THE TRIP?

Each instructor selected for our Africa program has deep experience with RLT, with young people, and with international travel. Beyond this, they are centered, thoughtful, inspiring, skilled, committed, selfless, and dedicated.

Most importantly, they have strong values: honesty, integrity, respect for the environment, and compassion for others. The average age of our leaders is 26 years old, the minimum is 21.

During the school year, our instructors attend school or work as teachers, social workers, authors, adventure guides, artists, scientists, emergency medical technicians, and as entrepreneurs across the globe. Previous instructors assigned to our Africa programs have completed environmental and global health research in Africa, worked as Emergency Medical Technicians, and trekked alongside teens as backcountry wilderness guides.We select talented, well-educated leaders with extensive international experience.

Get to know last year's Africa program instructors on this page. We will be updating this page with this year's trip leader assignments in the spring.

Each leader is selected personally for their ability to prevent and solve problems in the field, their capacity to relate to and enjoy our young people, their language skills and travel experience, and their knowledge and love of the places we visit. All leaders have a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) (or higher) medical certification.

RLT demands the ultimate responsibility in life. They are more than just leaders, instructors and mentors. They are guardians, in the most genuine sense of the word – essentially a parent to every child.

Directors and founders Jim and Donna Stein would not hesitate to trust the physical and emotional safety of their own children with any of our instructors. To learn more about our instructors and their backgrounds, please visit this page.

HAVE THESE LEADERS TRAVELED TO AFRICA BEFORE?

Each leader has first-hand experience with international travel and its various culture. While we strive to make sure at least one of our instructors has traveled to the destination country, we believe that other criteria is more important in assigning our instructor teams. We take into consideration the ability to speak the language, seniority, gender mix, and personality.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR AFRICA PROGRAMS:

My most valuable and significant part of my RLT trip was having the chance to be immersed in the culture and to get to see many different ways of life and people everywhere I went, it really broadened my view of the world," Alyson M., Hujambo Alum

It really was amazing. I honestly had the summer of a life time. Brittany and Tom were awesome and hilarious and I couldn't have asked for better leaders. I loved building the classroom because all the local kids came out to watch and we actually got to know most of them by name. Everyday walking from the camp site we would be flanked by little kids, jumping on us and holding our hands all the way up the hill, more and more joining us each day. I loved the safari but that was honestly my favorite part. Everyone got along too which was fortunate. I wish it lasted longer. I actually really want to go back and help out at the orphanage we visited and I know the others feel the same. Hopefully we can all make it back there," Maegan A, Hujambo Alum

After my trip to Tanzania, my life changed--while it was partly because of the relationships I made and experiences I had, it was more so because of the opportunity I had to learn and grow from my exceptional leaders. I was struck by their ability to so naturally exude such extraordinary qualities which I think is a testament to what RLT strives to accomplish. Immediately upon returning from Tanzania, it was my goal and dream to acquire the qualities and skills of Jeremy and Steph and to have the opportunity to one day make the impact and change that was made for me," Emily S., Hujambo Alumni

Interested in hearing more? We have hundreds of alumni families who can tell you more about their RLT experience. Please contact our office at 773-342-5200 or admissions@theroadlesstraveled.com for more info.

OUR AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS:

The Road Less Traveled is committed to providing exceptional travel experiences for young adults. In 2016, theAmerican Camp Associationrecognized The Road Less Traveled as the winner of the 2016 Gordie Kaplan Program Excellence award. This ACA award honors outstanding student travel programs and recognizes organizations that develop positive and creative responses to the needs of people and ecosystems across the globe.

Our work with children is serious business. Our commitment to safety is unrivaled and we always place quality before quantity. This conviction has empowered and inspired us to provide only the best in training, emergency preparedness, and staffing over the years. To learn more about our ACA accreditation, our exceptional safety record, our Markel's Safety 1st Recognition, B-Corp Certification, and extensive leader training please visit this page.

READY, SET, GO!

We invite you to begin your journey to Africa today.

Learn more about the destination and our teen trip in Tanzania and Uganda